The co-pending applications disclose the catalytic systems employed in the oxidation reaction of the present invention. While these applications suggest how glycol esters of olefins may be produced, they do not disclose how the glycol esters may best be produced in a continuous fashion nor a method suitable for use on a commercial scale of operation.
Glycol esters and especially glycol carboxylic acid esters of olefins are particularly useful organic chemical intermediates and extractive solvents. The glycol esters of lower olefins, such as, ethylene are useful in the production of ethylene glycol, a chemical of enormous commercial importance. Ethylene glycol may be prepared by the hydrolysis of the ethylene glycol carboxylic acid esters as disclosed in co-pending application, Ser. No. 819,776, filed Apr. 28, 1969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,892. Similarly, propylene glycol may be prepared by the hydrolysis of propylene glycol carboxylic acid esters.
Thus, despite the basic developments represented by the above co-pending applications, there still remains considerable room for further developments in the reaction system especially with a view to increasing the selectivity to the desired glycol esters.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to develop a process whereby glycol esters may be produced at improved selectivities.
It is also an object of the present invention to develop a process whereby the glycol esters may be prepared in a continuous fashion at improved selectivities.